opposing unnecessary, excessive and intrusive powerline development

REVOLT Newsletter 211

Revolt news 03/07/2006

1. A senior Highland Councillor is concerned about the costs of the
public inquiry for the Beauly - Denny line (APPENDIX A). Apart from four
local authorities, SNH and the Cairngorm National Park Authority, another
7,000 objections to SSE's planning application were submitted. Highland
Planning Director John Rennilson said "...I think we will see an
upgraded line. We are fighting to ensure the route is correct and that the
line is put underground in a couple of small sections." That seems
fair comment to me.

2. North Yorkshire was rated the most beautiful
county in England in a recent poll, ahead of Devon in second place. Don't
worry Devon, we are soon to be plastered with wind turbines if, as
expected, the planning system prevails in enforcing national policy on
local governments. So our top spot won't last.

3. The Yorkshire and
Humber Plan will have its Examination in Public (EiP) starting 12
September at the Leeds Metropole Hotel. The first Preliminary Meeting was
held 31 May but I was double-booked so missed it, but I had submitted
formal representations. Close behind, the Hambleton District LDF Core
Strategy has its Examination starting 10th October following a Pre-Exam
Meeting on 28th June at the Civic Centre, Stonecross, which I did attend.
Hambleton is targeted to be disproportionately plastered with wind
turbines.

4. The new LDF (Local Development Framework) planning
system derives from the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.
According to the inspector at the Hambleton Pre-Exam meeting on 28 June it
is completely different from the old system and very new - Hambleton is
among the first few authorities going through it, but all will have to
follow. The hearings will be round-table style and inquisitorial, led by
the inspector, rather than adversarial through legal advocates. It will
also be much quicker and smaller. So far so good, but the worry is that it
will be bound to impose national and regional policy (e.g. on wind farms),
leaving little room for effective local representations.

5. Snips
from news@all-energy no. 66 of June 06 are at APPENDIX B, with news of
important grid developments for Scotland and Ireland.

6. The Royal
Society of Edinburgh has completed its review of energy in Scotland. The
report makes thirty-seven recommendations, including calling for an
independent 'Energy Agency' and for the abolition of the Renewables
Obligation. The full text of the report is available online from: http://www.royalsoced.org.uk/enquiries/energy/index.htm

7.
The Irish Independent http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/
reports 30-6-06 "The Government is to allow windfarms in scenic areas
nationwide. Those with more than 50 giant turbines are to go through a
fast-track planning process, bypassing the local authority. The moves,
announced today, are bound to infuriate growing numbers of
communities."

8. National Grid's annual report http://www.nationalgrid.com
is published, ahead of the AGM on 31 July 2006. The summary public
statement (in the Annual Review) on EMFs "recognises that there is
some scientific evidence suggesting that certain adverse health effects
are linked to EMFs", whereas the slightly longer statement in the
large Annual Report adds "The balance of evidence remains against
both power- frequency and radio-frequency (EMFs) causing ill health".
We disagree with this latter opinion, not only in its content, but also in
its lack of objective assessment and its variance from published data and
reviews. The quantitative scientific evidence does not support NG's
assertion, though NG may find loose verbal support from exclusive
specialist advisory bodies such as in WHO, in which NG enjoys close
involvement and influence.

9. Meanwhile, the SAGE group, which hoped
to complete its recommendations on powerlines to government in June, has
extended this work to the autumn. Its a busy summer already!

*****
*****

APPENDIX A COUNCILLOR SAYS PYLONS INQUIRY A WASTE OF MONEY

Press
& Journal 08:50 - 01 June 2006 A Costly public inquiry into the
proposed upgrade of the Beauly to Denny power line would be a waste of
public money because its outcome has already been decided, according to a
senior Highland councillor.

Jimmy MacDonald told a planning meeting
in Inverness yesterday that taxpayers would be horrified to learn that the
legal costs alone for councils' objecting to aspects of Scottish and
Southern Energy's proposals would be around £450,000.

Planning
director John Rennilson said Highland officials had already discussed the
prospect of an inquiry with their counterparts from the other councils
along the route along with the Scottish Executive and representatives of
Scottish Natural Heritage.

He explained: "We have discussed
employing the one advocate and using the same technical experts to reduce
the cost and also to reduce the length of the inquiry.

"We have
no details yet how the inquiry will be organised, but we expect two
reporters and an inspector from the Department of Trade and Industry will
be involved."

Mr Rennilson believed a hearing would start in
Stirling and work its way northwards to deal with site-specific issues. He
said the cost to council tax payers had not been budgeted for, but he was
confident it would be shared between the relevant local authorities and
public agencies with a vested interest.

He went on: "Highland
Council can be expected to pay 40% of the cost. There will be an
additional cost of £100,000 for the planning and development
department."

A public inquiry, which is expected to start early
next year, would be likely to last nine months.

Apart from four
local authorities, SNH and the Cairngorm National Park Authority, another
7,000 objections to SSE's planning application were submitted. Scorguie
councillor Jimmy MacDonald said: "The site visit took us 11 hours and
95% of the scheme was acceptable. The remaining 5% to which we object
means that the taxpayer will have to pay £500,000 for lawyers and QCs.

"This
is a waste of money because at the end of the day the executive will
approve it anyway. We are paying out a huge sum for a result we already
know."

Strathpeffer and Strathconon councillor Douglas Briggs
said: "I hope councillor MacDonald's rather cynical view is not borne
out, otherwise we might as well give up public local inquiries."

Senior
planner Jimmy Gray said: "The Highland Council area has the longest
stretch of the cable, but why should we pay 40% of the cost? As has been
said already, the objections we have concern very short stretches of the
new line."

Mr Rennilson responded: "It may not be 40%.
This was our first stab at it. We will probably pay on a daily rate, for
issues concerning the Highland area.

"The 40% is based on the
length of the line, but we will pay for the length of time the QC is
involved on Highland issues. We have not challenged the need for the link,
but there are areas of dispute and one stretch where we and SNH don't
agree and we will have to give separate evidence." Planning committee
vice-chairman Francis Keith said: "I got the impression during the
site visit that SSE would consider under- grounding some stretches, and
that would save them a lot of hassle and it would save us a lot of
expense."

Planning chairman Sandy Park also expressed the hope
that SSE would agree to negotiate.

Speaking after yesterday's
meeting, Mr Rennilson dismissed the claim that an inquiry would be a
foregone conclusion.

He said: "We have four specific concerns
and if we are serious we have to pursue those at the inquiry if we have to
and hope we can persuade people that changes we want would be
cost-effective and would be environmentally effective and would help us
support tourism.

"The council will not be spending the total
figure mentioned today. The ballpark figure is the total cost. I think we
will see an upgraded line. We are fighting to ensure the route is correct
and that the line is put underground in a couple of small sections."

In Ireland a North-South
electricity interconnector costing £120 million, will be put in place
between County Tyrone and County Cavan by 2012. www.4ni.co.uk/news.asp?id=52030

5.6.Plan
to export islands' RE to Norway

Green energy could be exported from
Scotland to Norway and Ireland. The Scottish Executive has funded a
feasibility study examining the possibility of linking Shetland, Orkney
and the Western Isles to a subsea power network www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2090-2210494,00.html